Whereas I the undersigned, Maria Clemm, am the sole owner and lawful possessor
of the writings and Literary Remains of the late Edgar A. Poe.

And whereas it is desirable
that his works both in prose & poetry should be published in connection
in a uniform Edition. And whereas it was the express wish and injunction
of the Author before his death that Dr. Rufus W. Griswold should compile
and Edit the same in case of their publication.

Now therefore this Indenture witnesseth, that I have placed said Writings
in the hands of the said Dr. R. W. Griswold for the purpose of such compilation,
Editing and publication as aforesaid.

And I do hereby constitute
and appoint him my true and lawful Attorney and agent to make such contract
with a publisher or publishers and others, in my name, as may be necessary
and as he may deem proper for the purpose of consummating in each and every
particular the object aforesaid -- hereby ratifying all that he has done
or may lawfully do in these premises.

In Witness whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and seal this fifteenth day of October one thousand
eight hundred and forty nine.

Signed Sealed and delivered }
Maria Clemm [[her signature]]
in presence of
}

State of New York

City of Brooklyn Kings County Gr: On this 20th day of October
1849, personally appeared before me Mrs. Maria Clemm to me known to be
the same individual described in and who executed the within Power of Attorney,
and acknowledged the execution thereof by her for the uses and purposes
therein expressed

S. D. Lewis

Commr. of Deeds

[A photographic facsimile of this handwritten contract is reproduced
in "Quoth the Raven: An Exhibition of the Work of Edgar Allan Poe," The
Yale University Library Gazette, vol. 33, no. 4, April 1959, facing
p. 185. The text of the contract is printed by A. H. Quinn, Edgar Allan
Poe: A Critical Biography, New York: D. Appleton-Century Company, 1941,
p. 754.]

[The chief problem with this document is the fact that Poe's legal heir
should really have been his sister Rosalie, who was living in Richmond
at the time. Mrs. Clemm was living with Edgar in Fordham, New York, at
the time of his death on October 7, 1849. She had, therefore, many of his
books and manuscripts in her possession, a fact of which she took full
advantage.]